By Tom Mealey, Executive Vice President, Virtual Industries, Inc., Colorado Springs, COHandling miniature parts is becoming more challenging for manufacturers since many parts continue to get smaller even as they increase their levels of integration and functional complexity. These miniature parts are being incorporated in a growing number of electronic products, including cellular ...

By April Grossman, Schleuniger, Inc., Manchester, NHOne thing all companies are continually looking to achieve is to cut costs and increase efficiencies. In addition, companies must remain compliant with the strict quality and safety standards of their industry, adding even more pressure. Because of this, innovative, automated and easy ...

By Julian Coates, Valor Division of Mentor Graphics Corp.Traditionally, PCB layout designers produce many drawings and data packages to send for manufacture. These traditional drawings and data contain specifications and requirements that the assemblers and fabricators need to know to deliver the correct product. When sent as separate BOM, Gerber files ...

By Stanley L. Bentley, P.E., Senior Technical Advisor, DIVSYS International LLCThe transition to light-emitting diodes (LEDs) from conventional forms of lighting has not been without issues. However, the high light output vs. input power and long operating lifetimes make LEDs attractive for many applications, such as automotive systems. Engineers have quickly learned that the ...

By Joe Praino, Interplex Industries, Inc., College Point, NYRadio-frequency (RF) shielding is an important part of the design and manufacturing of modern electronic products, including Smartphones, computer tablets, and other handheld electronic devices that require consistent quality from high-volume production environments. As these devices become smaller ...

By Stanley L Bentley, P.E., Senior Technical Advisor, DIVSYS International, LLCAn automotive company was experiencing field failures of an electronic module. Failure analysis on one module led to a via that, when cross-sectioned, showed a circumferential void. Predictably, the lab report regressed back through the system from the auto company to the module supplier to the contract ...

By Thorsten NiermeyerDefects must be found and their causes corrected so that the EMS can deliver high-quality assemblies on time — a key focus at LIAD Electronics, a privately owned contract manufacturer in Breda, The Netherlands. The company has been at the forefront of manufacturing and quality assurance for its ...

By Paul B. Taubman, Paul B. Taubman EngineeringComponent library management may not be the topic of greatest interest to design engineers, but it is certainly important to developers and users of electronic-design-automation (EDA) tools in the electronics industry. In performing test-and-measurement engineering for a large defense company, it ...

By Graham Norman, Managing Director, EVS InternationalSolder recovery serves not just the electronics industry but the entire world, helping to make economical use of materials while avoiding poisoning the environment. EVS International supplies the solder recovery market, having received 16 international awards for its equipment, focuses ...

By Nader Shehad, BPM MicrosystemsSerialization is the process of writing unique data to each programmed device. It can be used to program basic numeric serial numbers to a single device address and also to program more complex data such as MAC addresses, encryption keys, GUIDs, and randomization seeds to several device addresses ...

Schmid Group Staff
Printed-circuit-board (PCB) producers are being asked for thinner circuit boards, with narrower line widths and spacings. Fortunately, the Vertical Developing/Etching/Stripping (DES) line of PCB production systems from Schmid can help meet these demands. These high-performance production solutions can ...

By Stanley L. Bentley, P.E., Senior Technical Advisor, DIVSYS International LLC, Indianapolis, INThere is no such thing as a "standard cost" for a PC board. What you have is a base cost derived from the number of layers to process and then adders that begin with the laminate choice and continue for every process operation. Every seller — Fabricator, Broker, Representative — have a concise ...

Automation GT StaffLast quarter, Tim Cook announced that Apple would invest $100 million into US manufacturing. Although a small portion of Apple's total net worth, the announcement is a high profile example of the recent Onshoring trend that is predicted to be at the forefront of company agendas throughout ...

By Bill Schreiber, President, Smart Sonic Corporation, Canoga Park, CACleaning is once again the focus of new government regulation. The last big change in cleaning came in 1995 as a result of the Montreal Protocol which eliminated the use of chlorofluorocarbon solvents (CFCs) for cleaning everything from PCBs to aircraft engines.

By William E. Coleman Ph.D., Photo Stencil, Colorado Springs, COThe demand for step stencils is increasing. Why? Shrinking components. Step stencils offer significant flexibility in achieving the proper solder paste height and volume for the overall paste printing process. Steps are available on the PCB side, squeegee side, or on both sides of the stencil. There are ...

By Rob Thomaier, Technologist, and Bob Umland, Sales Manager, NuSil Technology LLC, Carpinteria, CACurable silicone systems can be challenging to use because each is formulated with specific amounts of catalysts, crosslinkers, polymers and inhibitors that can be sensitive to different processes, additives, and environmental conditions. Specifically, catalysts and inhibitors have ...

By JoAnn Hinds, Diamond Die & Mold Company, Clinton Township, MI While the tool and die industry hasn't always been known for its environmentally friendly practices, the tide is turning at Diamond Die and Mold Company in Clinton Township, Michigan. Under the leadership of JoAnn Hinds, Diamond Die has made improvements to the physical plant as well as changes in ...

By David Foote, Global Applications Manager, Nordson MARCH, Carlsbad, CACopper has been replacing gold for wire bonding to enhance performance and reduce semiconductor package costs. While beneficial for the customer, it presents challenges for those performing failure analysis of molded copper bonded parts. Gold is immune to attack from the fuming acids used to etch ...

By Nolan Johnson, CAD/EDA Manager, Sunstone Circuits, Mulino, OR In a 2010 report, "Manufacturing Insecurity," High Road Strategies, a Virginia consultant, cites that US-based PCB manufacturers have shrunk by 74 percent since 2000. The widely-held belief is that the small, local-market PCB manufacturers were often the first to go. While the shrinking supply of ...